Have you made plans for the extended bank holiday?
We've been on a promise of a four day weekend since the early days of the panny d, and now it's nearly here. Delighted and all, but at the same time it's fairly crept up on us. Did you book something as soon as the banker was announced? Or are you like the rest of us, frantically googling "last minute staycations" while your colleague waxes lyrical about the jaunt to Budapest they have scheduled?
According to
Google Trends, there's been increased activity across travel and tourism in Ireland, with searches in the sector up 85%. With this said, Irish businesses have been encouraged to ensure any information they have online is up to date.
Google also documented the following:
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300% growth in 'last minute travel’ searches in Ireland
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351% growth in 'staycation' searches in Ireland
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77% increase in searches for ‘restaurants’
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Increase in interest around one of Ireland's busiest tourism periods with searches for ‘St. Patrick’s Day’ increasing by 79% in Ireland and by 35% in the US.
With this year marking the long-awaited return of Paddy's Day parades across the country, you can be sure tourists and locals alike will be out in full force to celebrate. So if you haven't got a plan in place yet, get booking, or mentally mapping out your route to the perfect spot to watch the parade without getting trampled on. And if you are heading away on a staycay, be sure to get out and support local pubs and restaurants in the area if you're in a position to do so. It's been a long aul two years for the hospitality industry - let's give them the welcome back they deserve over the four day weekend!
Header image via Shutterstock
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